Chapter Seventeen
Kest’s eyes open, and he stares at the ceiling for a second before springing to his feet, fists raised, ready for a fight.
“Hey, it’s alright,” I say, pulling Kest into a hug. “He’s gone now.”
“Haley!” He kisses me and squeezes me tight. “Are you okay? What happened? One second, I was—”
“It was Bakan. He stunned you. He said he’s sorry for that. But he didn’t touch me. I’m okay, just a little shaken up.”
“I swear, I’ll fucking kill him,” Kest growls.
“I’m fine,” I say, reaching for my clothes.
Kest finds his suit and starts to dress as well. “What did he want?”
“To scare me; to make me think you’re wrong and he’s right.”
Kest takes my hand and leads me out, his pace hurried. “Is that it?”
I don’t answer at first, remembering Bakan’s proposition. What if he’s right? “Yeah, that’s it.”
Frowning, Kest takes my hand and pulls me in close as we walk. His grip is tight enough to hurt, and though he sees my discomfort, he doesn’t let go.
“I swear, I’m fine,” I say. “Bakan loved pointing out that he’s above killing inferiors like me.”
“I’m not taking any chances, pet. He never should have found us. My ship is on its way to pick us up. We’re going back to the Dominus.”
Within minutes, we’ve boarded and taken off. I find myself heading for the back of Kest’s ship. I can’t bear to watch Ohalessa disappear out the cockpit window, and I don’t want Kest to see me cry. I knew that we would have to leave the paradise planet, and soon, but I wasn’t prepared to leave it behind so quickly. It’s such a beautiful world, and odds are I’ll never get to go back.
I remind myself that I may never see Ohalessa again, but now I have a way to get back to Earth. Yet, for some reason, the idea doesn’t comfort me as it should.
Kest gives me a few minutes, possibly sharing my sorrow. I’m still fighting back the tears when he calls me to come see something.
The Dominus is in sight; we’re headed right for it, and we’re not alone. Around us are thousands of ships waiting in lines that stretch all the way out to the space station. We’re passing them, flying unimpeded toward our destination, in a lane all to ourselves. Outside our trajectories are massive ships, long and pill-shaped.
“What are those?”
“Warships,” says Kest. “Here for security.”
There must be dozens of them, and I know why. “And all these little ones, they’re the Council.”
“Yeah.”
“Holy shit. There’s so many.”
He nods. “The fate of a species is going to be decided. We take this very seriously.”
No pressure, right?
* * *
Before we dock, Kest checks in with Briette, who apologizes for not being able to track Bakan to Orandropa.
This time when we arrive, we are met by a full honor guard. A dozen multicolored Dominars surround us, rifle-like weapons held at the ready.
Kest takes my hand and brings it to his lips for a kiss. “Haley, I hope you don’t mind, I’ve had a surprise planned for our return. I think you’re going to enjoy it.”
I force my lips into a weak smile. “Yes, sir.”
I don’t want to tell him, but I’m tired. Bakan’s warning still haunts me, I’ve got thousands of Dominars preparing to see me as an ambassador for my species, and the last place I want to be is a damn space station.
Yet, by the time we reach our destination, Kest can’t hide his excitement, and it’s rubbing off on me. Grinning, he stops in front of a hatch and gestures for me to head inside. The hatch hisses open, and I certainly don’t expect what’s there: another door. However, this one has a knob. Round and bronze, Colonial in design, with a push-in privacy lock, it looks like it came from Earth.
“Go ahead, open it,” says Kest.
Aside from eating, turning that doorknob is the most human thing I’ve done since the day Kest and I met. Although it’s only been a few weeks since we first met on that subway train, that feels like…
Another world?
Entering the room, a frisson passes through me, and my fatigue washes away like footprints in the surf. Rather than the quarters of a ship, the space before us looks just like a nice New York apartment—a tad small, but fully furnished, modern and stylish. Decorating the walls are framed fine art prints, a flat-screen TV, and several full bookshelves. Black-clothed couches form an L in front of the TV and behind a nook leading into the kitchen.
“Is this real?”
“One hundred percent,” says Kest, smiling proudly.
“How?”
He shrugs. “Briette went while we were on Ohalessa. Took her about a day.”
I step inside and lie down on the couch, using a side cushion as a pillow. “Thank her for me.”
“I will. The fridge, by the way, is fully stocked. There’s fresh eggs, chicken, and beef; several kinds of cheeses; a dozen vegetables; condiments; soft drinks, beer, and wine; and a chocolate cake and blueberry pie. The pantry has snacks, dry ingredients, cooking oils—you name it. And if there’s something else you want, we can synthesize it. You won’t know the difference.”
My jaw hangs open. I’m truly speechless.
“Haley?”
“Yeah…”
“Try the TV.”
For a second, I expect the nanites will do the work of turning it on, but nothing happens. I spot a remote control on a glass coffee table in front of the couch. The TV comes on, showing a selection of movies and shows. Scrolling through at top speed, the choices are seemingly unending.
“I was thinking we could have an Earth Night,” says Kest. “We can stay in, watch whatever you like. We’ve got board games, music. Anything, Haley.”
Now I can’t help it, and don’t hide it: tears drip freely. I open my arms to hug my Dominar, as happy as I felt back on Ohalessa. Maybe I’m confused and the old trappings of Earth will lose their appeal after a few hours, but I’d been ignoring my homesickness. Kest saw it, though. He knew.
I blink away the last of my tears and sigh as his powerful hand rubs my back. “There’s something I’d like to do, actually. I don’t see it here, but I think you could arrange it.”
“Anything, pet.”
* * *
It takes Kest about ten minutes to fabricate what we need and find us the space we need, but then we’re ready.
“So you know the rules?” I ask, straightening out my short white skirt.
Kest twirls the tennis racket in his hand and bounces the ball on the court. “I do. Shall I serve?”
He double faults twice before managing to get a serve in. His superior strength might come in handy in combat, but it causes him to send tennis balls flying way out, some of them hitting the chain link walls around the court without touching the ground. I win the first game at love.
“Bested by a human,” he laughs. “I don’t believe it.”
“You’re not letting me win, are you?” I tease.
“You want me to do my best? Because I will learn this game and kick… your… ass.”
I stick my tongue out at him. “You’re on.”
My first serve aces past him. On the next he makes contact, but shanks it wide. By the fourth point, he manages a return that flies high, setting me up for the easy volley.
We continue to play out the set, Kest getting better with each game. By our third set, he’s got the game down, knowing how to position himself on the court, anticipate my strategy, and make use of his extraordinary strength. He still dunks plenty of balls into the net, but when he learns how to really serve, there won’t be any stopping him. Also, I’m soaked in sweat by the end, but he looks like he just came off the bench.
“That was fun,” he says. “Did you play professionally?”
“No,” I laugh. “But I played a lot in college. I was good.”
“Still are, pet.”
He scoops me up and slings me over his shoulder, making me scream in shock. “Kest!”
“You need a shower, pet,” he says, slapping my ass.
Groaning from his touch, I don’t argue.
The shower he takes me to reminds me of one found in the master bedroom of a vacation home, rather than a gymnasium locker room, but I don’t mind the upgrade. The hot water feels heavenly on my skin, and the soaps and shampoo smell of magnolias and almond. But, most of all, I want him badly. As much as I love the apartment he created for me, and humoring me with a tennis match, what brings me the most comfort out here, in a strange universe, is him.
“Feel better?”
I grin, running my hands over his bulging chest. “Yes, sir. This has been wonderful.”
He brushes my hair, and lets his fingers work their way down my back. “I’m glad.”
Biting my lip, I feel his cock hardening rapidly. My warmth aches, searching for satisfaction. “Kest…”
He takes my arms and pulls me up, then slings my arms around his neck. “Hold on, pet.”
I clasp my fists together, hanging from his enormous upper body. Without being told, I swing my legs around his abdomen, clinging as best I can to his wet skin. He grunts happily, kissing me hard, our tongues twisting together as he takes hold of my legs.
I rear my head back, gasping blissfully, as he drives his cock into my hungry crevice. He thrusts vigorously, drilling me relentlessly. The shock of taking him in all at once sends my head spinning, but I don’t care—it feels too good.
“Is this how you like it? Wet, hard, and fast?” he asks, pounding me deep while holding me aloft.
“God, yes,” I moan, gritting my teeth. “You make me… so fucking… hot.”
“You want to come, pet?” he asks, slapping my ass.
My heart races, and my toes curl along the rough shower floor. “Please, sir. Let me come.”
“Beg,” he commands, slowing his torrid pace.
I mewl, desperate for release. “Please, sir!”
He pumps me faster, but it’s not enough.
“Please, fuck me, master!”
Kest grins, giving me a little more, turning in the shower so the hot water streams through my hair.
“I need your cock so bad! Please, sir!”
He returns to full speed, spanking my ass relentlessly. I scream and dig my fingers into his back; he doesn’t seem to mind. His silver skin practically shines in the water, and his joyous grunts get louder by the second.
“All right, pet. You may come.”
I unleash the pressure I’d been holding back, letting the orgasm explode in a pulse of ecstasy. Kest comes too, filling me full of his seed and grunting contentedly. My legs, weak with bliss, start to slide down his thighs, but he doesn’t let me drop—he catches me and cradles me in his arms.
The next I know, I’m waking up on the couch in the apartment, dressed in a yellow bathrobe with a big cartoon flower sown into the breast. My legs are draped over Kest’s lap as he leans back. He wears a matching bathrobe, and I giggle when I see it on him.
“What?” he asks, winking. “I think it’s a good look.”
“Oh, for sure.”
On the TV, a rerun of Frasier plays on mute.
“I didn’t realize spacemen like sitcoms,” I tease.
Kest brushes my legs off his lap and sits up. “I like this one. Used to watch it all the time.”
I laugh, trying to imagine an alien—thousands of years old and has traveled throughout the galaxy—watching TV on Earth like some regular guy.
He turns on the volume so I can watch a bit, and as the grogginess wears off, an aroma from the kitchen makes my mouth water.
“There’s a pizza in the oven,” he says, hearing me sniffing. “It’ll be ready in a few minutes.”
“Okay,” I reply, feeling hungry enough to eat the whole pie myself.
We spend the rest of the night watching television and eating. At times, I laugh so hard I nearly choke; but as the night goes on, nostalgia for Earth creeps in like a fog.
Can it really be as bad as they say? What if Bakan is wrong about what will happen to us? Does Kest have humanity’s best interests at heart? Could I actually help the planet, knowing what I know? Or would everyone think I was crazy?
By the time I fall asleep, I have no new answers; only the knowledge that the fate of humanity may well rest with me.